Nation World

Budget surplus seen in April

WASHINGTON — For the first time in nearly four years, the U.S. government last month took in more money than it spent.

The surplus for April was a welcome sign that the economy is trudging back to health. Still, it's just one month of black ink in a budget stained in red. For the budget year, the country remains on track for a fourth straight $1 trillion deficit — a trend that should keep the deficit near the center of the presidential race.

Through the first seven months of the budget year that began Oct. 1, the United States has run a $719 billion deficit, the Treasury said Thursday. The April surplus of $59.1 billion isn't unusual because annual tax returns are due that month. Yet, as the first April surplus since the 2008 financial crisis erupted, the surplus shows that modest job growth and higher corporate profits have boosted tax revenue.